Should You Brush Your Beard Before Or After Beard Oil?

If you’re growing your beard, chances are you’ve heard about the importance of using beard oil. Almost everyone with facial hair agrees that beard oil is essential. However, there’s definitely a lot of confusion about how to use this product. So, should you brush your beard before or after oil? 

Most experts agree that you should apply oil first and then brush it through using a high-quality boar bristle brush. Applying beard oil isn’t that complicated, and chances are whatever you’re currently doing isn’t going to destroy your beard. However, if you want to get the most out of your products there are some steps you should follow.

Let’s take a look at all the benefits of applying oil before brushing, and why this is the best routine to keep your beard looking its best.

Why You Should Brush Your Beard After Applying Beard Oil

Okay, so applying beard oil is important, but why does it need to be applied before brushing? Applying the oil properly and in the correct order is paramount to keeping your beard in top shape.

Some people are afraid that by applying the oil first and then brushing their beard, they will remove the product, essentially wasting a product that they paid a lot of money for.

However, this isn’t the case at all.

Applying the beard oil before brushing can have many benefits, and will drastically improve the look and feel of your facial hair. The oil needs to be applied first to be properly distributed throughout the beard. 

Distributes the oils evenly

When you apply the oil first and then brush your beard, the bristles pull the oils (both natural and applied) from your skin and along the length of the hair.

To reap these benefits, the oil needs to be spread evenly along the beard – from the roots to the ends.

Brushing the beard distributes the oil more evenly across the hairs, leading to a healthier and better-looking beard.

It’s why I always advise starting to brush your beard early. The benefits are so plain to see.

Reduces breakage

Applying the oil first also protects the hair shaft as the oil helps to relax it. When the hair is relaxed, it becomes softer and even straighter. As the hair is more relaxed, it is less prone to breakage when you brush through your beard.

This is another reason why it’s essential to apply the oil before brushing.

Easier to style

When the hairs are relaxed, your beard becomes easier to style as well. Applying oil before brushing will mean that you won’t need to brush your beard as often. This reduces the risk of overbrushing.

It will also save you time in your daily routine. Making your grooming routine more efficient is something you should always strive to achieve.

Makes the Most of Your Product

By brushing the oil through your beard, you can get away with using less product. Applying only a few drops will be enough to cover your entire beard.

Brushing it will move the oil down the length of the hair. Your beard oil will last longer, and you will need to replace it less often. This will save you money in the long run.

What Happens When You Brush Your Beard BEFORE Oil?

Sure, there is definitely a preferred technique (oil first, brush second). But it’s unlikely that your hair will be damaged beyond repair if you do the opposite.

However, brushing your beard before applying oil can result in a few problems.

Each of these problems has the potential to affect your facial hair and ruin all the hard work you put in.  

Causes Breakage

As we previously discussed, brushing your facial hair without softening it with oil first might cause breakage when you brush it. Breakage will cause your beard to look dull and less healthy, and might also lead to flyaways.

You must, therefore, be careful when brushing your beard without oil, as overbrushing or brushing too quickly increases the chance of this happening.

Causes Spots

Applying oil first, then brushing it through, helps to distribute these oils away from your skin and roots to the shafts and ends of your hairs.

This stops the natural and applied oils from blocking the pores of your skin.

When you apply the oil AFTER brushing, you aren’t distributing the oil evenly across your beard. This leads to build-ups of oil in one area of your face. When oil builds up in one area it can lead to spots.

Waste of Product

Applying beard oil, and not brushing it through, can waste your product. This is because you’re not distributing the product to every part of your beard.

Your beard will not see the benefits of the oil, and when you run your fingers through your beard, you won’t feel the benefits either.

If you’re not feeling the benefits when you touch your beard, you might be tempted to apply more product. Your beard oil will run out sooner than it should, and your beard will not even see the full benefits of the product.

What Exactly Is Beard Oil?

Beard oil is an essential component of your grooming kit if you’re serious about keeping your beard healthy, manageable, and looking great.

It’s a cosmetic product designed specifically to keep your beard well-nourished. It does this by mimicking the natural oils produced by the skin.

These products consist of ingredients that repair the damage done to your skin and hair, such as argan oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil, and almond oil.

They are almost always a combination of essential oils and carrier oils, which act as a means to distribute these oils safely into the skin.

Plus, they can either be scented or unscented, depending on your preference. For those with sensitive skin, it might be best to choose an unscented oil, as some scents can cause irritation.

For those who are looking for a product that will give them a hint of luxury with every whiff, scented beard oil is the way to go. You can choose from sweet, woody, bitter. You name it!

What Are the Benefits of Beard Oil?

We all know that there are numerous benefits of using beard oil, but many don’t fully understand why it is essential.

Regardless of whether you apply the oil before or after brushing, there are many advantages of using this product.

Replenishes oils

When you clean your beard, the natural oils produced by your hair follicle are removed. This can result in a brittle and dry beard.

The best thing to do is to replenish these natural oils with a product that can also moisturize the skin and hair shaft – Enter, beard oil.

Moisturises hair and skin

The essential oils and added vitamins in these products add moisture to the hair shaft and the skin underneath. This moisture has many benefits, such as conditioning the hair and restoring the health of your skin. 

Reduces itchiness and dandruff

When your face is moisturized, you decrease your chances of getting beard dandruff (or ‘beardruff’). Beard dandruff can cause itchiness, so getting rid of this dandruff will greatly increase your comfort.

Nobody likes the look of white flakes falling from their facial hair, so getting rid of these will also improve the general look of your beard too.

Easier to style

Applying beard oil makes your facial hair more manageable. This oil coats the hair shaft, making it softer and easier to style. These oils also act as detangling agents, so it’s less likely that your hair will be damaged when you brush your beard.

As your hair is healthier, it will not only feel better but look better. Plus, if you opt for scented beard oil, your beard will smell better too.

Reduces patchiness

Beard oil reduces patchiness by reducing tangling and clumping of beard hairs. Clumped up hair reveals and worsens patches making them more visible.

Beard oil evenly distributes itself, particularly when brushed afterward, giving a nice, uniform sheen. 

Should You Comb Your Beard Before Or After Oil?

You should comb your beard after applying beard oil. You can use the teeth of the beard comb to evenly distribute the beard oil throughout the beard in the most effective way possible.

Yes, exactly the same way as you would with the bristles of a boar bristle beard brush.

Although beard brushes, particularly boar hair ones, are better than beard combs at redistributing oils, beard combs will still get the job done.

For this reason, you’ll want to apply the beard oil first and then brush and comb. Not doing so would be a wasted opportunity.

Conclusion:

Although we said that applying beard oil is simple, there is definitely some technique involved if you want to get the most out of your product.

One of the easiest ways to ensure your beard looks its best is to apply your products in the correct order. Yes, this includes your beard oil.

While most people share our opinion that applying oil first is the best way to maintain your beard, not everyone follows this method. Brushing first and then applying oil won’t necessarily destroy your beard, but it can have some adverse effects.

Therefore, applying beard oil first, and then brushing it through is the best way to ensure your facial hair is at its prime.

Whether you apply beard oil before brushing or after, we can all agree that both of these practices are vital to ensuring your facial hair stays healthy and looking fantastic.